1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to telecommunications systems and, in particular, to the management of redundant database network elements using a customer administrative system interface.
2. Description of Related Art
Reference is now made to FIG. 1 wherein there is shown a block diagram of a portion of a telecommunications network 10 including a plurality of database network elements (NE) 12. The telecommunications network 10 comprises a wireless (for example, cellular) communications system, and each database network element 12 comprises a home location register (HLR) database storing permanent and temporary wireless subscriber data. The permanent data stored in the database network element 12 comprises fixed information concerning, for example, the communications service subscripted to by each subscriber. The temporary data stored in the database network element 12 comprises variable information concerning, for example, the current location of each subscriber.
This wireless subscriber data is generally maintained in both a primary database network element 12(p) and a redundant database network element 12(r) The wireless subscriber data is accessed by the network 10 from the primary database network element 12(p) during normal network operation. When necessary, such as when the primary database network element 12(p) fails or communication with the primary database network element 12(p) is not possible, the wireless subscriber data is instead accessed by the network 10 from the redundant database network element 12(r). The redundant database network element 12(r) accordingly functions as a back-up to the primary database network element 12(p).
In accordance with conventional system operation procedures, and through the use of appropriate TIA/EIA Interim Standard IS-41 signaling, the network 10 functions to communicate temporary data not only to the primary database network element 12(p) for storage, but also to the redundant database network element 12(r). Thus, in response, for example, to a registration by a mobile station (not shown) with a switching node of the network 10, location information relating to that registering mobile station is sent from the switching node to the primary database network element 12(p) for storage using known IS-41 signaling messages. This location information is further sent using known IS-41 signaling messages, either directly from the network (i.e., the switching node) or from the primary database network element 12(p), to the redundant database network element 12(r) for back-up storage.
No similar automatic storage procedures are, however, implemented with respect to the permanent data. Thus, at, for example, subscriber definition, the permanent data must be manually entered by the service provider into both the primary database network element 12(p) and the redundant database network element 12 (r). If any modifications subsequently need to be made to that permanent data, these modifications must be manually entered into each database in a similar manner. This prior art procedure is time consuming, inefficient and prone to error. There is a need for an automated procedure for supporting permanent data storage in both the primary database network element 12(p) and the redundant database network element 12(r).
It is important that the wireless subscriber data stored in the primary database network element 12(p) and the redundant database network element 12 (r) be consistent with (for example, identical to) each other. Thus, the primary database network element 12(p) and the redundant database network element 12(r) must, for example, each contain consistent subscriber services data in order to insure that consistent services, such as call forwarding to certain numbers, are provided irrespective of the database network element currently in operation. Conventionally, consistency checks between the data stored in the primary database network element 12(p) and the data stored in the redundant database network element 12(r) have been made on a manual basis. This prior art procedure typically involves outputting and manual comparison of the data from the database network elements. This procedural operation is time consuming, inefficient and prone to error. There is a need for an automated procedure for supporting consistency checks between the data stored in the primary database network element 12(p) and the redundant database network element 12(r).